Rifle



p 1 c. E. SPRAGUE 2,078,591

RIFLE Filed May 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l k iv Q lnvenlor A tlomeys' Aril 27, 1931. E SPRA U'E 2,078,591

RIFLE Filed May 21, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 613621 0 zze -ZQM40529 mi A Ailornvejys'l Patented Apr. 27, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,078,591RIFLE Chester E. Sprague, Portland, Oreg.

Application May 21, 1936, Serial No. 81,099

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements infirearms, particularly rifles, and has for its primary object toprovide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means for swivellyconnecting the strap to the stock in a manner to permit rotation,thereby preventing loosening of the securing elements and the consequentnecessity of removing the barrel to tighten the front connection.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a swivelconnection of the aforementioned character which will permit the strapto be readily removed and mounted on another rifle which is equippedwith sockets constituting a part of the invention.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a strap connection of thecharacter described which will be comparatively simple in construction,strong, durable, reliable, compact, light in weight and which may bemanufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of'the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the forward end portion of arifle, a portion of the forearm of the stock being broken away insection to reveal the front strap connection.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a portion of thebutt, said butt being broken away in section to expose the rear strapconnection.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical transverse section through the invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in vertical section through a portion ofthe invention, showing a conventional loop mounted therein.

Figure 5 is a view in bottom plan of the invention.

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of the device with the socketomitted.

Referring now to the drawings in detail it will be seen that thereference numeral I designates generally a conventional rifle, saidrifle including a stock comprising a butt 2, a forearm 3 in which thebarrel 4 is mounted, the usual strap 5, etc.

The strap 5 is detachably secured to the butt i and the forearm 3 byswivel connections which are designated generally by the referencenumeral 6 and which constitute the present invention. The swivels 6include sockets I which are permanently mounted in recesses which areprovided therefor in the butt 2 and the forearm 3. The closed upper endsof the sockets l are provided with threaded openings 8. The front socketl is anchored in position in the forearm 3 by a screw 9 which isinserted in said forearm from the top thereof with the barrel 4 removed,

- as illustrated to advantage in Figure l of the drawings, said screw 9being threadedly engaged in the opening 8. As best seen in Figure 2 ofthe drawings, the rear socket l is anchored in the butt 2 by a screw N?which is inserted in the socket from the open end thereof, said screwpassing through the opening 8 and being threaded into the butt 2. Attheir outer ends the sockets 7 are provided with external flanges I Ifor engagement with the bottom of the rifle stock, annular grooves I2being provided in said sockets immediately adjacent said flanges ll.

Each swivel connection 6 further includes a removable bearing I3 whichis threadedly mounted in the socket I. On its outer end the bearing I 3is provided with a knurled flange M which is adapted to abut the outerend of the socket I.

The reference numeral l5 designates an eye in which a loop I6 isjournaled for swinging movement. The strap 5 passes slidably through theloops l6 of the front and rear connections. The eye l5 comprises areduced shank I! which is journaled in the bearing I3. Immediatelyadjacent the shank I! the eye l5 has formed thereon a flange l8 whichabuts the outer end of the bearing l3. On the inner end of the shank I7is a reduced neck l9 on which a collar 20 is mounted. The free endportion of the neck i9 is upset in a manner to provide a substantiallyconical head 2| for securing the collar 20.

It will thus be seen that a rotary and swinging connection for the strap5 has been provided which is capable of substantially universalmovement, thereby preventing loosening of the connections in the riflestock. The rotary eyes 15 are permanently mounted in the bearings I3.However, should it be desired to transfer the strap 5 to another riflein which the sockets I have previously been mounted it is only necessaryto unscrew the bearings I3 from said socket 1, said bearings carryingthe eyes l5 and the loops l6. In Figure 4 of the drawings the referencenumeral 22 designates another form of loop which, if desired, may beused in lieu of the loops l6. 7

It is believed that the many advantages of a swivel connection for gunstock straps conwith the gun stock, a removable bearing threadstructedin accordance with the present invention will be readily understood andalthough a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be understood that changes in the details ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which will fall Within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed is:--

A connection for gun straps comprising a socket mounted in the. stock ofthe gun, said socket having an opening in its inner end for thereception of a securing element, an external flange on the outer end ofthe socket engageable mam edly mounted in the outer end portion of thesocket, said bearing including an external flange on its outer endengaged with the outer end of the socket, an eye member rotatablymounted in the bearing, said eye member including a reduced shankjournaled in the bearing, a flange on the eye member immediatelyadjacent the shank engaged with the outer end of the bearing, a reducedneck on the inner end of the shank, a collar mounted on said neck andengaged with the inner end of the bearing, a head on the free end of theneck for securing the collar on said neck and a loop mounted forswinging movement in the eye of said member.

CHESTER E. SPRAGUE.

